own (up)

as in to confess
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid had a strong suspicion about which coworker stole her food from the office fridge, but the likely culprit refused to own up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for own (up)
Verb
  • The tattooed singer isn't the first celebrity to recently confess to having a bathroom emergency on stage.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Balmer turned himself in and allegedly confessed to the fire, according to search warrants.
    Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Davidson openly admits his adoration for Axe, leaning into these more sophisticated scents for everyday use, and soliciting advice to the next generation on how to build confidence while upgrading any younger guy's aesthetic.
    Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The government admitted its mistake but has proven unwilling or unable to correct its error and effect Garcia’s return.
    Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Own (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/own%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!